Electric cooker



July 1s, 1933. H. C. WARNER 1,919,050

ELECTRIC CooKER Filed May 25, 1931 Patented.. July 18, 1933 UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE HARRY C. WARNER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR F ONE-FOURTH T0 'WILLIAM IF. HALL, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI ELECTRIC COOKER.

Application led May 25,

This invention relates to electrical cooking devices wherein is embodied unique means for automatically cutting off the supply of electrical energy after the material being c cooked assumes a predetermined condition as a result of the cooking action.

The primary object of the instant invention is to provide such a cooker, wherein is embodied novel electrical contacts which may be opened to cut olf the supply of current bythe movement of an overhanging arm, a portion of which is positioned to be acted upon by material being cooked when it has altered its shape in a known predetermined An even further object of the invention is the contemplation of a cooker of the chara acter mentioned. wherein .is provided a novel tray and electrode combination whichcoact to hold and supply cooking heat respectively to materialbeing acted upon.

Minor objects of the invention including specific means for performing the broader objects of the invention will appear during 2.5 the course of the detailed specification, referring to the accompanying drawing, where- 1n:

Figure 1 is a broken side elevation of an electric cooker embodying the features 4of this invention.

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the same. y Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectionthrough the cooker, taken on line III- III of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinalvcentral section through the tray only, and,

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical showing oftheelectrical circuit which Y,may be embodied in a cooker of tlie design contemplated.

Like reference characters are used to designate similar parts throughout the severall views of the drawing, and the numeral 6 indicatesabase which may be made of suitlable material and formed with a hollow interior to house the make and break mecha- Hnism hereinafter set down. Base 6 removably supports a tray 8, essen?, `tially made of insulating material, or at least sufciently coated with such material to preclude short circuiting. The specific struc- 1931. Seriall N0. 539,827.

ture 'of tray 8 is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, and should consist of a plurality of transverse partitionsv 10, each of which is provided with laterals 12 adjacent each end thereof, whereby to form a material receiving compartment 14, intermediate small end compartments 16 which receive depending lugs 18 formed on each electrode 20. It is these lugs 18 which depend into tray 8 from their respective terminal post 22, supported and insulated from base 6.

Each electrode 20 basa socketed boss 24 which slips over the respective terminal post 22 in a manner to set up an electrical contact. Laterals 12 are of sufficient length to main- Q5 tain material l26 within its ,compartment 14, yet allows water to pass into each compartment 16 from the adjoining compartment 14. It is through this water `and material 26 that contact is made 70 between electrodes 20 and resistance of the same causes the desiredheating. A sump 28 formed at one end of 'tray 8 receives surlus water when material 26 swells and orces some of the water from compartments 14. To allow for this action, artitions 10 are made shorter so that over owing from compartments 14 Will not at the same time overiow tray 8. i

To carry out the salient feature of this invention it is desired to provide means for cutting off the supply of electricity to electrodes 20 when material 26 reaches a predetermined condition during its cooking. In some instances material 26 may shrink, while in most instances it will expand. Meehanism for performing the above mentioned function is here described to operate when material 26 swells to a predetermined size.

An overhanging arm 30' ispivotallj7 secured as at 32 to base 6, with its end above tray 8, as shown in'Fig. 1. An adjustable` material contacting member 34 is carried at the endiof arm 30 to project into one ccm- 95 partment 14 and against material 26 being cooked therein. Adjustment of member 34 toward and from'material 26 may be efj fected by a screw-threaded shank 36 and the time of trip be gauged by therelative posi- -100 tion of this adjustable member 34. Arm 30 carries a pair of contact points 38 which engage contact leaves 40 when the machine is in the set position. lVhen in this position, arm 30 is yieldably maintained by a resilient trigger 42 which engages the notched end of rod 44, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Shoulder 46, carried by trigger 42, underlies a small pros jected portion of rod 44 and when upward pressure against member 34 is sufficient to overcome the holding effect of trigger 42, adjustable weight 48, mounted on rod 44, moves arm 30 about pivotal point 32 and thereby disconnects contacts 38 and 40. This parting movement caused by the action of `gravity on weight 48 moves arm 30 until its shoulder 50 ,engages stop 52. This position is shown in dotted lines of Fig. l, and water and material 26 within tray 8 is no longer being heated.

f Within the circuit of the machine is disposed an electric lampy 54 which projects its rays through window 56, formed through the end wall of base 6. This lamp acts as a signal to inform the operator when the electrodes are receiving electrical energy, and whenthe circuit is broken by the movement of arm 30, this lamp goes out.

Fig. 5 illustrates one form of a wiring diagram which may be followed by assuming that lines 58 and 60 are the two main lines supplying electric-ity. From line 50 the circuit is completed through conductor G2, contact 40, contact 38, and thence through wires 64 to branch G6 and electrode 20. A wire G8 carries energy to lamp 54, from whence the circuit is completed through conductors and 72 to branch 74, where electrode 2O receives its supply. From this point wires 7 6 complete the circuit to contact'points 38 and 40, from whence wire 78 joins line 60.

Many modifications might be embodied in a machine of this character without departing from the broad concepts of the invention and it is desired to be limited only by the v scope of the appended. claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A cooker of the character described comprising a base; a tray mounted on the base; electrodes carried by the base and depending into said tray at opposite sides thereof; electrical conductors to supply current to said electrodes; and means controlled by the material being cooked to break the connection when the same assumes a predetermined size.

2. A cooker of the character described comprising a base; a tray mounted on the base; electrodes carried by the base and depending into said tray atopposite sides thereof; electrical conductors to supply current to said electrodes and means controlled by the material being cooked to ybreak the connection when the same assumes a predetermined size,

said means including an overhanging arml and a member adjustable toward and from the material being cooked.

3. In an electric cooker; a base; a tray mounted thereon; electrodes depending into said tray at opposite sides thereof; means for supplying current to the electrodes; a switch to make and break said means; and a switch having an adjustable member projecting into said tray, pivotally carried by the base, said switch arm being movable to break the current supply means when the material being cooked reaches a predetermined size.

4. In an electric cooker; a base; a tray mounted thereon; a plurality of partitions within said tray forming material compart ments; electrode compartments formed in each material compartment; electrodes having a portion projecting into said electrode compartments; and a passage establishing communication between each material compartment and its electrode compartments whereby a constant water level may be maintained in all compartments.

5. In an electric cooker; an electric circuit operable to open and close the same; a switch interposed within said circuit; an arm joining said switch and material being cooked, and an electrode in spaced relation with the material at each of the opposed sides respectively thereof, said arm engaging the material between said electrodes and mQvable to operate said switch when the material attains a predetermined size.

6. In an electric cooker; an electric circuit; a switch interposed within -said circuit; an arm joining said switch and material being cooked, and an electrode in spaced relation with the material at each of the opposed sides respectively thereof, said arm engaging the material between said electrodes, said arm being pivotally supported between said switch and material whereby alteration of the size of said material caused by electricity passing from one electrode to the other will move said arm about said pivotal support to j open the switch.

7. In an electric cooker, a tray; a plurality of compartments formed therein to receive material to be cooked; an electric circuit to supply heat for cooking the material; a switch forming a part of said circuit; and a pivotally supported arm in operative engagement with said switch and having a portion thereof projecting into one of said tray compartments to engage vthe material being cooked, said arm being moved to operate the switch when the material attains a predetermined size.

8. In an electric cooker, spaced apart electrodes; means for supplying current to the electrodes; a switch forming. a part of said means; and a switch operating arm terminating between said electrodes, adapted to be los.

said electrodes; a switch forming a part of said current supply means; and a switch operating arm adapted to open said switch when material being cooked in the liquid between said electrodes becomes a predetermined size.

- HARRY C. WARNER.

Vses 

